Dogs reduce risks of death

Owning a dog is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and death, a study claims. Scientists looked at over 3.4 million individuals aged between 40 and 80 years to study the association between dog ownership and cardiovascular health during the 12-year follow-up. The results showed that single dog owners had a 33 per cent reduction in risk of death and 11 per cent reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease compared to single non-owners, according to the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

“A very interesting finding in our study was that dog ownership was especially prominent as a protective factor in persons living alone, which is a group reported previously to be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death than those living in a multi-person household,” said Mwenya Mubanga, from the Uppsala University in Sweden. Higher level of physical activity and increased well-being are some of the reasons.